Christopher D. Towle joined Towle & Co. and served as a member of the investment team since 1994 and has been instrumental in all aspects of the firm's growth and development. As in integral member of the investment team, he shares responsibility for the investment management process including portfolio management, trading, and research. Prior to 1994, he served as a General Manager of H. H. Brown Shoe Co., Inc., an operating subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, with full line responsibility for a division of the company. He started his professional career as a Senior Credit Analyst at Manufacturers Hanover Trust in New York City. Chris graduated from Williams College in Williamstown, MA with a B.A. in history in 1990 and received an MBA from Washington University in St. Louis in 1998.

Wesley R. Tibbetts, CFA, joined Towle & Co. in 2010 as a valued member of the investment team with broad duties across the portfolio management and research process. Previously, Wes was an analyst at Lehman Brothers under the Private Equity division and at Neuberger Berman within the NB Alternatives group. While at these organizations, he analyzed buyout, venture capital and distressed debt funds as a part of his group’s private equity fund of funds platform. In addition, Wes shared duties in the analysis, management and reporting of a listed private equity fund. Wes graduated summa cum laude with a BBA in Finance from the Cox School of Business at Southern Methodist University in 2008. He is a CFA charterholder.

Mr. Peter J. Lewis, CFA, Director of Research, has been a member of the Towle team since 2001. Prior to Towle & Co, Mr. Lewis was President of Principle Research, Inc. From 1991 to 1998, Mr. Lewis was a Partner and department leader at Edward Jones & Co., where he developed a seven-person research team responsible for determining the suitability of all products sold by the company. Before 1991, Mr. Lewis worked as a Senior Credit Analyst for three years at the Bank of New York.

James M. Shields, CFA, Portfolio Manager, joined Towle in 2013. Previously, Mr. Shields was a Manager at Deloitte Financial Advisory Services and an Analyst at Marshall & Stevens in the Business and Intangible Asset Valuation groups. While at these organizations, Mr. Shields managed a team of analysts, valued privately held companies, and valued intangible assets for multinational transactions. Mr. Shields graduated from the University of Missouri with a BBA in finance & banking/real estate and received an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. He holds the distinction of Chartered Financial Analyst.

Luke joined Towle & Co. in June 2018 after serving the firm in a consulting role while completing his MBA. Prior to business school, Luke was an analyst at Kinderhook Partners, an employee-owned investment manager that invests globally in public and private companies. While at Kinderhook, he analyzed search funds, micro-cap and small-cap stocks, and leveraged control investments. Prior to joining Kinderhook, he played quarterback for the Stuttgart Scorpions in the German Football League. Luke graduated cum laude with BA degrees in mathematics & economics from Lawrence University and received an MBA from Columbia Business School.